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What is a 401K?

What is a 401K?
This is an investment account that allows for deferred tax treatment. This implies that your annual tax liability reduces by the same amount you save in a 401K plan. Therefore, in using a 401K, you are saving for retirement as you successfully cut down your current tax bill.

About the 401K Retirement Plan
This retirement plan works in the out of sight, out of mind principle. A certain percentage will be deducted from your income (before taxes) by your employer on signing the contract. This amount is tucked away for your retirement. Your pay-out will be doubled if your employer agrees to match your contributions. This will only happen with particularly wonderful employers.

A 401K retirement plan is therefore an agreement between employee and employer. In this contract, the employer deducts a given amount of the employee’s income before tax. This amount is invested or set aside into a separate account. You will receive this money after retirement or at the age of 59 ½, by which time it will have the employers contribution and hopefully vested interest.

Since 1979, the corporate world has been stormed by the 401K retirement plan. This is primarily due to its affordability for employers and flexibility for employees. The monthly administration fee charged by 401K providers is small compared to pensions which sucked companies dry. With this considerable plan there is a variety of investment options for both employers and employees.

The amount of control you have and flexibility makes this retirement plan unique from other pensions. You will have various choices including the where you want to invest and the flat monthly rate or percentage you want to contribute. Your employer will offer you a list and you will choose between mutual funds, bonds, stocks, company stock money markets investments or a blend of the aforementioned. The choice you make can also be guided by a financial advisor. Otherwise, there are risks involved. You stand to lose a great portion of your retirement savings, if the company you heavily invested in goes bankrupt. It is advisable to diversify where your money will be invested to create more security.

You can confirm the category of 401K plan you are in through your employer as they are fully aware. With a defined retirement benefit plan, the employer pledges to pay eligible employees a defined amount at retirement based on salary history and how long you have worked with them. Typically, the pay-out will be under the control of the employer. The employer’s contributions will be defined with a defined contribution, but the amount you receive on retirement is not stated explicitly.

There are two types of benefits you may receive under the 401K retirement plan. You can choose between the defined contribution plan and the defined benefit plan. The former is a great investment potential while the latter is stable. The options you qualify for or the one offered should be confirmed with your employer. Also, you may opt for a lump sum payment or monthly payments.

Your pay-outs are under the control of the employer under the definite plan. The pay-outs are not affected by market fluctuations. With a defined contribution plan, there are fewer guarantees on the pay-outs but you have great control on where and how much will be invested.

Your 401K retirement plan will generally remain active when you leave a company. It is also possible to rollover into an Individual Retirement Account in case your ex-employer charges a fee or you feel uncomfortable with them managing your account. Rollover is also important when changing employers. After age 59 1/2, you are allowed to withdraw but you will be liable to paying taxes on your drawings. Unless you are still employed at age 70 ½, you have to start withdrawing some of your money. This is a must abide to minimum distribution requirement, common with most plans.

The foundation of your retirement savings is a 401K retirement plan. For maximum returns, make sure you make maximum contributions. You should also make sure that you stay longest in the 410K retirement plan. The will increase your returns. Do not allow your employer to force you into an early retirement; you can even consider switching your employers. This will only require a rollover. To make supplemental retirement plans, meeting with financial advisors is paramount.

Many people are finding that these types of investments are not as secure as they once were. Inflation and increased cost of living are chipping away at their investments and cash. It doesn’t seem to matter what kind of retirement plan they have, whether an IRA or equity in a business or owning real estate or other asset. An extremely popular solution among many Americans right now, is converting a percentage of assets and cash into Gold Bullion or Gold Coins, and holding the Gold within your IRA.

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